Behind The Curtain
by PeteyPoison
Summary: Shawn struggles with gay feelings while trying to keep it a secret from Cory, fearing it holds the power to end their lifelong friendship. Meanwhile, he also starts talking to Stuart Minkus, who tries getting him to come out of the closet.
1. Chapter 1

_*A/N: This takes place in the fourth season and involves some story elements taken from the episodes "An Affair To Forget" and "Chick Like Me". The idea is to present a more behind-the-scenes look between the episodes, because those are the ones where Shawn could most be perceived as gay. I decided to go with that, and I brought Minkus into the story as well since he was always one of my favorite characters =) Hope you guys enjoy!_

Shawn Hunter's heart was weighing heavy as he wandered aimlessly through the empty halls of John Adams High, nerves wracked with a horrible tension. Running his fingers through his hair—the move that countless girls had fallen for—he took a deep breath and steadied himself against a wall, once again falling into the trap of peering down every hallway to be sure that neither Cory nor anyone else was there.

"All clear," he whispered to himself, then immediately jumped back when he heard the noise of a mop swishing figure eights through the open door of a nearby classroom and let out a nervous giggle. _It's only janitor Bud, _he reminded himself. _Dad has the day off._ He hated being at school after hours, and nearly leaping out of his skin at almost every turn didn't help make matters any better. If anything, his chest only felt heavier. He needed desperately to talk to someone, and that was the only reason he was here. In and out was the plan, just to get everything over with. It was either now or suffer through the next week alone.

_Cory would never understand,_ he thought again, the old familiar mantra clawing its way through his brain as he wiped a stray tear from his cheek. _Just don't let Feeny see you cry. _

He hadn't even realized it until he'd taken that last turn into the main hallway on the second floor, the same place where he and Cory's lockers stood side by side, just like best friends should always be. He wondered how much longer that would even last if…_no. Just do this and get out. Get a grip, Shawn._ Swallowing the lump in his throat as he wandered past and turned to move toward Mr. Feeny's office, he had to steady himself over the garbage can before walking up.

He took one last look behind him to be sure the hall was indeed empty before opening the door and tripping through the secretary's area. A dim light shone from the room he always dreaded walking into, but he reminded himself he wasn't in any trouble this time. A certain sense of calm washed over him as he began to realize that everything would be okay. Oddly enough, his principal and, dare he say it—friend—seemed to have that aura with all of his students. Even when you were in trouble, that man was always there to guide you straight, and Shawn couldn't think of a better person he felt lucky enough to have in his life besides Topanga and Cory.

_Oh no, Cory, _he thought again, but he was already there, strolling over to Mr. Feeny's doorway. By the time he finally opened his mouth, he knew it was too late to turn back. He gave a small knock on the frame before speaking to get his attention.

"Hey, Mr. Feeny?" Shawn said, staggering his stance a bit and leaning against the door to keep from falling over.

"Mr. Hunter," Feeny acknowledged him, finishing a sentence in his notebook before looking up at the clock on the wall with surprise. "Good heavens boy, it's after hours and you're still here? What have I done?"

Shawn smiled a sheepish grin. "You don't have to embarrass me."

"Oh no, I think we've known each other far too long for that."

"Well…" Shawn sighed, "you said earlier that your door was always open."

"Ah, yes," Feeny nodded. "As I recall, you and Mr. Matthews were working on an article for the school paper, and you were dressed as a girl. Is that something you cared to elaborate on? Now I promise, all your secrets are safe with me," the man said, raising his hands sincerely, though with a slight tone of sarcasm slipping through.

"Mr. Feeny, it wasn't about that," he smirked. "I just need someone to talk to." The old man offered a warm smile and gestured to one of the chairs in front of his desk. Shawn once again began to feel more at ease.

"Have a seat, Mr. Hunter. What can I do for you?"

"I don't know," Shawn breathed, sitting down, running a hand through his hair. "I'm kinda lost right now."

"In what way?"

Shawn just shook his head, biting his lower lip. "I'm confused about stuff. Have you ever had a friend who you should be able to tell everything to because they really get you, but you have a secret you could never tell them because it would just ruin everything?" Feeny leaned forward on his desk in deep contemplation for a moment before answering.

"So you find yourself wandering for an answer, is that right?" Shawn remained silent as the man rose from his chair and began to circle his desk. There was always something more. "You know, there is an old quote by a particularly great author who has always been dear to my heart, and it goes a bit something like this. 'Not all who wander are lost, the old that is strong does not wither, deep roots are not reached by the frost'. Now as I understand, poetry is not one of your better subjects, though I do believe that a young man as bright and cunning as yourself should be able to grasp the simple meaning in such a verse."

"Who's it by?" Shawn asked, genuinely curious.

"J.R.R. Tolkien," Mr. Feeny answered, gazing out his window for a moment before turning back to the troubled young boy in the vain hope he would understand. "Well throw me a clue here, Mr. Hunter!"

"Oh yeah, sorry," Shawn laughed. "'Deep roots are not withered by the frost'…you mean friendship, right?"

"Precisely," Feeny said, proud to have at last made an analogy that hadn't completely gone over the head of a student. Returning to his chair, he continued. "At least in this instance, I should think it applies. And being a gardener myself, that phrase is of particular use in the winter, but enough about that. The point is, Mr. Hunter…we should not fear a bit of frost getting in the way of such a deep-rooted tree, hmm?"

"Definitely," Shawn said with a nod, then gasped at the realization. "You know this is about Cory, don't you?"

"Oh, I know a lot of things," Feeny admitted, "including that perhaps not all of your grades are completely dictated by the sort of young man you purport to be in the hallways of this school. During your friendship with Mr. Matthews, I have seen you grapple with many issues that he might not have fully understood at certain times because of where he comes from, but if there is one thing I can be certain of, it's that you are a lucky man to have such a friend. I also hold the privilege of having his family as my neighbors, and I sense he would be there for you regardless of what you are going through, no matter how big it is."

"That's just it though," Shawn sighed, his eyes beginning to dart nervously around the room. _Don't let Feeny see you cry, _he reminded himself. "I mean how deep do you think the roots really go? What if this is too big? You know he can't possibly understand everything."

Mr. Feeny felt a slight tug at his heart, one of the many human instincts he had long forced himself to suppress as an educator, and now he knew he must do so again. It was never easy to deal with the swaying emotions of teenagers, much less to allow them to flourish on their own when they made mistakes.

Life, after all, cannot always be equated to a garden. In the end, he knew he loved them all, but he also knew never to speak a word of it. To do so would only invite ridicule and misunderstanding by outsiders, and so compassion in this sense was best expressed through the learning experience. All in all, it was his passion first and foremost. To help one to grow at every branch is to leave them dependent; however, to _teach_ one to grow without such a parental constraint…now that, he found more value in.

"No one understands everything, Mr. Hunter," he answered finally. "Not even a 'dinosaur' such as I. If we did, there would be no room to grow and flourish. And that's the point of life, is it not? To seize the day, to take risks…to grow while you have the deep roots and the time you are given. Always remember that it's not about where you came from. No matter how far a seed may stray from its home, it still possesses the strength and security of the roots from which it sprang."

Shawn nodded, though he still felt a bit troubled. "So this frost thing…it's really not a problem?"

The old principal smiled. "It melts away rather easily in the spring. You are surrounded by warmth, Mr. Hunter. I think that should work to your advantage as well."

"Thanks, Mr. Feeny."

"My door remains open if you should need anything further."

"I'll keep that in mind," Shawn nodded, getting up from his chair and turning to walk out.

"Oh, and Mr. Hunter?"

"Yeah?"

"Try to be on time for your classes next week."

"Will do," he replied, leaving the office feeling slightly better than when he came in.

As he opened the door to the hallway, Shawn suddenly felt his thoughts beginning to drift back to fifth grade. He couldn't quite place a finger on what he remembered, and this bothered him with every step through the empty corridors and beyond until finally he emerged from the entrance of the school to stare up for a moment at the cloudless blue sky which at last cleared the barriers in his head as he took a breath of fresh air. _It was a boy, _he grinned to himself, one of the few times he ever allowed this to occur at such a thought.

More specifically, it had been the young boy behind his makeover for Cory's article _Chick Like Me_ in the school paper. And if he wasn't mistaken, he was pretty sure that his best friend's speedy little transformation into a waitress at Chubbie's that night had been the handiwork of this same boy. Topanga had been sitting across from Shawn the entire time during the planned "date", so he knew for sure it hadn't been her. So who on earth was it?

_Of course, _he nodded with a smile.

"Stuart Minkus, my little buddy, I think it's time we have ourselves a little chat about my secret not getting out."

And with that observation, Shawn broke into a sprint to make it back to his parents' trailer in time for dinner.


	2. Chapter 2

_One month earlier…_

As Shawn walked through the crowded, bustling hallways of the junior wing to one of the few classes he didn't have with Cory, he did his best to avoid eye contact with all the girls who were all too eager to continue staring at him. He wished to god he hadn't built up such a reputation over the years, but it had become a necessary facade when it came to masking his feelings. He hated that part most of all.

The long walk from English with Mr. Turner over to his Algebra class had become a lonely routine. Every day was the same, and the only thing which made it bearable at all were the few moments he was able to share some laughs with Cory to help forget about his problems. Other than that, he had taken to staring at the floor. He hated who he was, and there was no changing it. The life of Shawn Hunter had become a lie to almost everyone he knew, and this only furthered his desire to act out.

He wanted to punch something, graffiti the walls, break a window, shove everyone aside. And if it weren't for Cory keeping him grounded over the years, he probably would have given into those urges. If he lost his best friend, Shawn didn't know where he would end up. At this point, he wasn't even sure if he cared. Feeny, Mr. Turner, all of them could try all they wanted to set him straight, but this was something no one in hell would ever understand.

The urge swelled again as he felt his gaze look ahead at all the other students just passing through, digging in their lockers, throwing out trash. The stares and innocent smiles of the girls meeting his eyes only made it worse. They were talking about him, and he knew it. But how could they not know? In every instance where he'd gone on a date, it was always about the show. Kissing in the booths at Chubbie's, courting them around on his arm like an accessory, pretending to be indifferent as he broke their hearts and shattered their feelings.

He couldn't live with himself much longer if this continued, and the way the new ones always looked at him longingly had quickly became a source of irritation. But just as he had the urge to shove the small kid walking too slow in front of him, he stopped himself and waited a moment until the boy turned to the left. Shawn suddenly realized he recognized this guy, and something seemed strange.

"Minkus," he whispered, watching the little nerd let out a sigh and open his locker. A burly jock had been barreling his way down the hallway in the distance and shoved the kid aside on his way through to make room.

"Watch it, dork!" the football player snapped. For some odd reason, this angered Shawn more than anything else. He wasn't about to take it anymore.

"HEY!" Shawn yelled, staring the older boy down. He was admittedly much larger, but Shawn didn't show an ounce of fear. _I have to get better at picking my fights, _he gulped. The guy turned and charged over, his gaze unwavering, but Shawn kept staring back.

"What the hell do you want, punk!" the jock challenged.

"Y-You go apologize to him!" Shawn stammered, pointing over to poor little Minkus, who was now looking wide-eyed at the spectacle. The boy backed against his locker and clutched his books tightly, fearing the worst.

"Or what? The little fag was in my way!"

"What did you just say?"

"I SAID," the jock seethed, "the _faggot_ was in my way! What you gonna do about it, trailer trash?" he shouted, shoving Shawn backwards into the wall.

"Aw, but you see," he replied, letting out nervous laugh. _Don't go there, Shawn, _he told himself, but it was too late to think. "What the hell." With that, he swung a hard right hook straight into the older boy's face, breaking his nose. Blood began to squirt everywhere as he screamed. For the first time today, Shawn stepped back and assessed his work, feeling rather proud of himself as a sly smile spread across his lips. Little Stuart Minkus looked on, smiling back and breathing a sigh of relief at having been saved from turning into a pile of mush for the day.

He gave a little wave of happy acknowledgement to Shawn before his expression immediately changed to one of dread.

_Feeny! _he mouthed.

"What?" Shawn called. "Oh…he's standing right behind me, isn't he?" Minkus nodded sympathetically.

"Mr. Hunter!" said a booming old voice, and Shawn cautiously turned around, a nervous smile again spreading across his pouted lips. He suddenly felt so small.

"Uh…hey!" he grinned.

"I'll see you in detention," Feeny scowled, watching the football player struggle to get to his feet. "I have a meeting to get to right now. I suppose…you know I'll have to have your father clean up that mess," he breathed, shaking his head in disappointment. He hadn't wanted to mention it, and Shawn felt his heart start to sink for what he had done.

"Mr. Feeny, no…I'll do it! Just tell me where the janitor's closet is?" Feeny didn't answer, but simply gave him a pat on the shoulder and walked away in frustration. Shawn ran a hand through his hair and sighed, a cold sweat falling over his brow. He was sick of everyone taking the fall for him, always cleaning up his messes. The urge to make things right seemed powerful enough for once, so he staggered his way over to the football player and offered a hand to help him back up.

"Get the fuck away from me, man!" the guy said, holding his face as he stood up and headed for the nurse's office. Shawn simply nodded and stood there for a while, looking off in the direction the jock had run until the crowds in the hallway died down a bit. Minkus still stood at his locker in a shaky clump, momentarily pretending to dig out more notebooks and pencils as he waited in anticipation for Shawn to make the move toward him. He felt he was more nervous about this encounter than the cute young badass in the leather jacket who stood behind him, because admittedly, he'd always felt a bit of a pining for Shawn Hunter.

Stuart Minkus had known he was gay ever since the fifth grade, but unlike Shawn, he had felt no reason to hide it after that. Sure, he had done so a bit during his brief crush on Topanga, and he wished he hadn't ventured that far. He was quite sure that he had only been confused at that point because now that they were in high school, Stuart knew he was attracted solely to other boys.

Nowadays, it was rare for him to get through gym class without having to look away so they didn't catch him staring intensely at their nude bodies when it was time to hit the showers. He always limited himself to a window of two seconds, otherwise he knew he would probably incur a beating. Still, he enjoyed it, and the fantasy of them ruffling up his perfect hair and tearing the buttons off his clothing as they bit his tender neck and writhed against him drove him absolutely-

"Minkus?" Shawn said, sauntering over to interrupt his thoughts.

"Oh! H-Hi Shawn," he choked out. _Oh god he's getting closer, he's so hot! Just breathe Stuart, act normal, it'll be fine._

"You okay little buddy?"

"I am now," the boy smiled, then looked away and bit his lip. _Damn it, do you have to be so stupidly obvious? What kind of line was that? Okay…just breathe…_ "You saved me," he said with a look of genuine surprise. "But why?"

"I didn't like what he said," Shawn sighed. "Besides, only I'm allowed to push you around, right?"

"Uh…right!" He smiled. _Shawn Hunter, you can push me around as much as you like!_

"Well…I guess I should be going now," Shawn said with a nod, stifling a laugh.

"Yeah, me too…" As he looked frantically around him, Minkus realized the rest of the hall was almost empty of other students. _Crap, I'm going to be late for Science! _Just then, the bell rang. Neither of the boys moved in that moment. Instead, they found their eyes darting around separately in opposite directions for a few spare seconds until at last there was nothing more to see but empty halls. They were completely alone.

A rather strange feeling began to overcome Shawn at the sight of Minkus standing there, his feet planted firmly to the floor as he clutched his books against his heaving chest. His breathing was getting heavier. Minkus looked just as vulnerable and pathetic as he always had, but somehow right now, his appearance seemed much different to Shawn than just the nerdy little boy he used to push around. Unlike the rest of their grade, he didn't seem to have aged much, if at all. That wasn't really the type of guy Shawn thought he should feel attracted to by any means, however. He always preferred to fantasize about the more rugged older types his own age, but for some reason…

_Nah, _Shawn smirked, shaking his head one last time and turning away as Minkus gave him the warmest smile he'd ever been afforded, and one that was strangely able to carry him throughout the rest of his day. Of course he wasn't ready to admit this to himself, but for just those few seconds, he swore he felt a bit of a soft spot for the boy.

He didn't even notice as Minkus remained glued to the same spot in front of his locker, quivering at what had just happened. The logical side of him screamed to find out more of what this was really about. _Of course he's hot! Whew, that gave me jitters! But something's not right, it can't be. That wasn't the Shawn Hunter I remember…what the heck is going on?_

A wide grin spread across Stuart's lips as he felt the determination in him rise.

_One way or another, I'm gonna find out. _


	3. Chapter 3

_**A/N: Sorry this is really late guys, but I write my own books as well so I haven't really had time to keep up lately. If you're interested in my novels, I have a YA one up on Amazon called "Blue Car Racer" which is about the effects of bullying. Check it out if you want =) _

_Sorry again for the lack of updates, and I'll try to keep posting at least once (if not twice) a month from now on. I still have to plan out this story a bit better, lol. Hope you guys like it so far!** _

Topanga had been watching Shawn for quite some time, but she was always cautious about how best to approach him. Ever since they were kids, it was always Cory and Shawn. Cory and Shawn, Cory and Shawn, Cory and Shawn. The two seemed made for each other, and rightly so. In her mind, there could never be anything that would every divide them. There had of course been times when she felt like she might come between, and in the earlier days of her dating Cory, she always did her best to restrain many of her pent-up emotions enough to allow the boys to do their own thing. Besides that, it was rather touching to watch.

_Two best friends, just like in history. Greek and Roman especially, and it goes on even today. Girls rarely have friendships that close anymore._

But something had been troubling Shawn, and Topanga could see it in his eyes. She had been around him long enough to know when something was wrong, and lately he had this strange sort of disquieting gaze every so often, almost like he was lost. Anyone else would have thought so too with the way he sauntered lazily down the halls, but…it was like he was lost _inside_. And for whatever reason, Cory just wasn't seeing it. She thought that was especially weird, and this was the part that concerned her most of all. It was hard to decide whether to come right out and tell Cory, but if something was bothering him that much, Shawn usually did…but this seemed different somehow.

In the same respect, Topanga also felt strange about talking to him alone. Of course they were all great friends, it's just that it was different without Cory around. He wouldn't ever suspect she was cheating, but her and Shawn had never built up much of a friendship on their own without involving Cory in some way.

_Maybe I'm just thinking too much,_ she thought. _I was on a roll with that calculus test. And look at Shawn, parading his way down the hallways when we're around, yet as soon as you turn your back, he's looking all nervous. Sweaty palms, a flip of the hair, his mouth hangs open like he's gasping for air and can't get enough…_

"Hey Shawn?" Topanga said, tapping him on the shoulder from behind as they made their way down the hall. He nearly jumped out of his shoes.

"Whoa! Hey Topanga," he grinned. _Like a switch, he just turned on… _"What's up?"

"Can I talk to you a minute?"

"Yeah, sure. Matter of fact, I think I need to sit down," he replied, sounding out of breath. They made their way over to a nearby bench and collapsed. "Whew…"

"Have you been feeling alright?" she asked.

"I dunno, just kind of stressed with midterms coming up, and it doesn't really help that I got detention with good ole' Feeny today-"

"What?" Topanga cut him off. "What happened this time?" Shawn rolled his eyes.

"Eh, I don't really know to be completely honest. There was some football guy, I saw him beating up on Minkus and giving him a really hard time so I clocked him one in the nose. Feeny was right behind me of course."

"Was he really?" she smirked, looking above them at the ledge of the staircase.

"I am now, Mr. Hunter," a voice said from behind. _Of course._

"Mr. Fee-…_how_ do you always do that?" Shawn grumbled, standing up.

"Oh don't mind me, I was just passing through," Feeny said innocently. "Detention's still at three o'clock by the way."

"Yes, I know that," Shawn sighed, not amused.

"That's not to say that your intentions were not noble, however in the future I would suggest you conduct yourself with a bit more tact, hmmm?" the principal smiled.

"But Feeny, he was just defending a smaller kid," Topanga argued. "And who knows how Minkus would have felt if he just stood there and watched? You don't always see what goes on behind the curtain. Haven't you told us that the only thing necessary for evil to win is if the good man does nothing?"

Feeny sighed. "Miss Lawrence…if I were to allow violence to flourish within the walls of my school, it would provide a poisonous environment for education. Now if a student has a problem, my hope is that they would feel comfortable enough to approach me before it escalates out of hand."

"Oh come on!" Shawn exclaimed. "That's not how it works in the real world."

"Mr. Hunter, as long as you are under this roof, there will be rules. Out in the real world, there are laws which govern the country. In each case, such limits are devised for your protection and the protection of others, so you needn't worry. The young man Mr. Scott whom you assaulted will be attending detention as well, so any protests about the fairness of this situation would hardly be logical. Now if you'll excuse me, I'm late for my lunch break."

With that, Feeny quickly maneuvered his way through the crowd of students before disappearing in the corridors beyond.

Shawn frowned and sunk back to the bench as Topanga again joined him. For several moments they both sat there, watching the crowds pass by as the clock ticked down the seconds for the bell to ring. And people continued shoving one another out of the way. In her mind, Topanga still struggled to find the words to ask him what was wrong, but nothing was materializing. If it did, nothing seemed fast enough. One sentence was constantly thrown out in favor of another, and it wasn't long before Shawn finally opened his mouth. Still, she wasn't ready.

"So…I kinda have to get to my next class. Was there anything else you wanted to ask me?" He was nervous of course. Was he really making it that obvious? _Oh crap, if she's catching on, it's only a matter of time before Cory does…and how long was she watching me for, anyways? Why is she even so concerned? It's none of her business or Cory's. I won't even go to my next class, screw it. I'll run home and sleep or whatever._

"Uh…" _Come on, think of something quick! Now! _she screamed in her head. "Um, no, I was just kind of wondering how you were. You looked upset. I could be wrong," she said, stifling a laugh. "Maybe you were just in a daze or something, I mean I do that sometimes." _There's no smart way out of this now, idiot._

"Uh, yeah!" Shawn laughed. "A daze, yeah, that…that was it. I just haven't gotten in trouble in a while though, ya know? I'm trying not to be the old Bad Boy Shawn anymore. I want girls to like me, good girls. Not the flaky kind, or the ones like Jennifer."

"Well you just have to be yourself," Topanga smiled. "You always seem confident."

_That's because it's an act, _Shawn wanted to say, but he found himself choking up again.

"Topanga…how do I put this," he breathed. "Have you ever not been sure of who you are? Like back in fifth grade, when you were all…you know…save-the-earth, 'nature girl'…and now, it's like you shed all that off because you've grown as a person."

"Huh," Topanga said. _I never thought of that before._ "I guess it's a lot like leaving one tree for another," she explained. "You see all the crazy things you used to do as a kid, and you kinda miss it…but you're still you, right?"

"I don't know, that's not really what I meant," Shawn sighed.

"So what did you mean?"

"N-Nothing," he stammered, suddenly getting up to leave. "I just…I have to go, okay?"

"Are you sure you'll be-"

"Don't!" he insisted. "Trust me…I have to get to my next class, be alone with my thoughts. Tell Cory I'll talk to him later, or I don't know, just…I won't be at lunch, so…"

"I will," Topanga said, worried.

"Right. Thanks," Shawn said, nervously running a hand through his hair before turning away and rushing down the hall.

Topanga only sat there shaking her head. She wasn't sure what to tell Cory, or if it was even a wise idea to tell him, but she was too worried about Shawn not to consider it. It almost seemed as though he didn't want his best friend to know something, but it was odd that he would try coming to her about it first. _Girls have a calm presence,_ she reminded herself, but what sort of boy would willingly put himself in that position unless it was about something important? Even more strange…why would he stand up for Stewart Minkus, the boy him and Cory used to mercilessly pick on up until middle school?

Something about this clicked in an odd way, and a certain suspicion began to develop in Topanga's mind. She couldn't be completely sure of course unless she tested the theory, but seeing that Shawn was feeling lost and conflicted about himself, she had to wonder.

"Hey there, Mrs. Pookie Pie!" she suddenly heard a voice call behind her. It was Cory. _Shawn can wait, _she thought. _Time to act normal again._

"Hey, Blubber Wubber!" she grinned, turning around to kiss him.

"Have you seen Shawn anywhere, babe?"

"Uh, no…he's usually out here, but I guess I missed him."

"That's weird. Ah well, you ready for Spanish class?"

"Si, mi amor," Topanga smiled, and the two proceeded to walk arm-in-arm down the hall, unaware that Shawn had been watching them closely from around the corner the entire time.

_Why can't I have what she has? _he thought, and sauntered away. 


	4. Chapter 4

_**A/N: Thanks everybody for the positive responses! I know it's been a couple years and I wasn't intending for that to happen (so sorry!), but I was going through a lot of personal stuff. I'm back now though, and I'll be updating this story as much as I can (and trying to keep it relatively PG-13, but we'll see where this goes…LOL). Hope you all enjoy!**_

Shawn breathed a sigh of part relief, part annoyance as the final bell rang to end the day of school. It was a Friday, and while all the other students were chatting and cheering about their weekend plans, he was stuck for the next hour with Mr. Feeny and the cocky jock whose nose he happened to break at the wrong time. Still, he felt no remorse. Despite what Feeny had said, Shawn of course knew better, and if anything, he had done a great service in protecting a fellow student in need. _Why should I feel shame about that?_ he thought to himself. But no matter. In Feeny's eyes, this was the proper resolution.

Walking down an almost empty corridor and turning left, he headed for the classroom where he'd be forced to sit and do nothing for the next hour. But something stopped Shawn dead in his tracks as he went to open the door and his eyes locked onto someone through the window. _What the hell is Minkus doing here?!_ If it weren't enough that the boy he had saved would inevitably see him strolling in to be punished for it, Shawn suddenly felt a hot breath graze the back of his neck.

"Hey pretty boy," a haunting voice said. His blood instantly ran cold.

"Shit," Shawn swallowed, closing his eyes. _Stupid!_

"Was it worth it to save your boyfriend?"

"I'm sorry," he sighed, gathering up his courage and turning around to face the angry jock. "What did you say, exactly? I mean I thought I heard something about your boyfriend, but I can't be too sure because your nose is kinda screwed up. Who did that to you? Oh, right-"

"Listen you freak!" Aaron Scott fumed, shoving him against the adjacent wall.

"Hey, hey!" another voice yelled. _Mr. Turner._ "What's going on here?"

"Nothing," Shawn sighed. "Waiting for detention to open-"

"You mean you two didn't read the sign? Says right next to the door it's been switched to Room 205. With me. I been looking for you guys." The teacher stepped between the boys, prying them apart.

"Sorry-"

"Save it, Hunter. Aaron, you're in luck. I got a mini-fridge with some fresh ice packs for your nose." Shawn snickered, but Turner shot him an angry look. "It's not funny. You want a full week of detention?"

"No, sir."

"Thought so. Get your butts moving."

Shawn ventured a glance back at Feeny's room up until they turned the next corner just to see if Minkus would emerge. He hoped and prayed with all his heart that the adorable little nerd hadn't seen that brief exchange through the window. Despite his disdain for most authority figures, he hated getting into fights, and he hated it even more when his friends got caught up in the crossfire. Out in the jungle of the real world, Shawn knew he was the type who could quite easily take care of himself. And yet in the halls of a high school, it seemed everyone else had to take care of him or otherwise clean up after his mistakes. _Too small a cage for too big an animal,_ he thought. _And people like Aaron Scott are right at home. What ever happened to justice?_

Stuart Minkus plopped down on a desk at the front of Mr. Feeny's old classroom, visibly exhausted from trying to make an adequate case for Shawn. He had huffed and puffed his way through a mentally prepared speech for the last half-hour, and still the iron house of Feeny refused to collapse. There seemed to be no use in trying anymore.

"Mr. Feeny," he pleaded, "what if there was something I could do? You haven't even told him yet. You haven't even told Cory and Topanga yet. How is this fair?"

"I wasn't going to tell you, Mr. Minkus. You suckered me into it."

"One more offense and he's expelled?! He should know!"

"Oh, I agree. He should know, and he should know better. This is a school, Mr. Minkus. One that thrives on the excellence of students like yourself. I know I needn't press that point with you. But students like Shawn are the most worrisome of this flock, particularly when they get into high school. Now I have defended him and covered for him more times than I probably should have, but that's my prerogative and it's also my prerogative to decide when enough is enough. I've got the safety of other students to consider. You know that."

"What about my safety?! He was protecting me!" Minkus whimpered, tears falling from his eyes.

The old man sighed, handing the boy a box of tissues from his desk.

"I'm not blind," Feeny said calmly. "Much as I've been told that I am lately. But as an educator, one must often put their personal feelings aside, and this is one such case. I value all my students equally, and I do my best to attend to their concerns where necessary. Now the fact remains that Shawn Hunter attacked another student, and having witnessed the exchange myself, it seemed apparent to me that this Aaron Scott fellow was far enough away from you when it occurred that all his attention was focused on Shawn in an effort to provoke him. That doesn't mean Shawn had to resort to the action that he took. That said, I will permit you to inform Mr. Hunter that this will be the last chance I intend to give him for the year. Whether or not you wish to help him in the manner you've outlined to me in your incredibly bold speech is solely up to you."

"Thank you, Mr. Feeny," Minkus smiled. "I wish I could have been more persuasive. Public speaking is not my strongest attribute."

"On the contrary Mr. Minkus, you're the reason Shawn Hunter is still attending this school. I may not condone violence, but I also do not condone bigotry, and you have done well in reminding me of that."

"So you think that Aaron bully got what he deserved?"

"What I personally think is irrelevant. I have upheld my principles as a teacher, and that is what matters most."

"I understand. Well…I'll do my best to help him out," Minkus said, grabbing up his backpack and heading for the door.

"I've no doubt you will succeed if your mind is up to the task. See you tomorrow."

"Goodbye."

Mr. Feeny shut the door behind Stuart, whose heart was now aflutter at the thought of having repaid a debt to his savior, even if it was in secret. He had also not only recited his speech in record time, but he also managed to be more persuasive than he thought, which would garner him a few more extra credit points he probably didn't need. _Shawn Hunter, my hero, my knight in shining armor, if only you knew how much I-_

"Shawn!" Minkus gasped, nearly bumping into him by accident as he turned the corner.

"Hey, Minkus! Uh…fancy seeing you here after hours! Grinding up them extra credit points, eh?"

"Uh, yeah!" the boy grinned.

"That's good…" Shawn nodded nervously. "My detention just got out."

"Yeah, I heard. Um…look, I'm really sorry about all that-"

"Ah, it's fine, just a slap on the wrist," Shawn smiled.

"Right," Minkus laughed. _My parents would kick me out of the house if I ever got detention…_

"Well hey, I was wondering if maybe I could talk to you about something."

"Anything!" Stuart exclaimed, then immediately shut his mouth as if he'd made a mistake. _Anything? Really? You imbecile!_

"This is a little embarrassing because…no offense, but you're you, and…well, I'm having trouble with my Algebra class."

_Ah, the crafty Shawn Hunter emerges, _Minkus thought. _Does he maybe…_

"I see," Minkus smiled. "Not a problem at all!"

"Wait, really? You sure you don't mind taking on someone as dumb as me?"

_Don't laugh! This is your moment, Stuart Minkus!_

"This may come as a shock to you, but I have tutored worse. I'm guessing you will be free today?"

"Uh, I actually got a date tonight, so would tomorrow be good?"

_Date…what?! No…Minkus, what have you done to yourself? You know better than to have fallen for Shawn Hunter!_ The boy silently scolded himself as images of his crush with everyone but him immediately began to flood his mind. Every _girl_ and no boy. Shawn didn't like boys, obviously. Shawn couldn't like boys in that way because every action he took seemed to deny it, and suddenly every fantasy Minkus had daydreamed about for the past several years began to unravel completely, and he found himself stammering just as he had in Feeny's room. Reaching awkwardly and clumsily for any thought that might make sense, any word though he trembled, anything, any…_oh suck it up, Stuart,_ he reasoned, hearing his father's voice echo in his head. It was the one he turned to when he felt he needed a good dose of courage, though he hated the man from whence it came.

"Tomorrow's fine," he said, almost without any emotion, which somewhat shocked him.

"Great!" Shawn grinned that familiar half-smile, causing Minkus to snap out of his trance and melt inside.

"My place, three o'clock?"

"Yeah, it's a da-…I mean…thing," Shawn corrected himself. _What the hell are you doing?!_

"O-okay," Stuart said. "See you then!"

"Just don't tell Cory, okay?"

"Your secret's safe with me," Minkus smiled, heading for the stairwell to leave Shawn pacing back and forth in the hallway, wondering what on earth just happened.

"Right…thanks!" _My secret?! What secret…oh shit, does he know? How can he know? Did I make it that obvious? Is Aaron watching me from somewhere? No, he left right away…did anybody else see that? No, the coast is clear. Is it really? Yeah. What about Cory? Does Cory know? Who else could possibly…_

And so Shawn ran home as fast as he could, his thoughts an unbearable mixture of fear, anxiety, anger, and confusion. What would happen if Minkus figured out that Algebra was the last thing on his mind, though he was indeed failing? What if the kid's parents were around? What was Shawn planning, and did he even know? Girls were much easier, because you could just go with it. They all meant nothing to him, it was all a simple game to make it look like he was a normal guy.

But what about Minkus? Did he mean something to Shawn?

_I don't know, _Shawn thought. _I don't know what the fuck I'm even doing…_


End file.
